CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
SLEEPOVERS AND DO OVERS

☆ミ ☆彡

WARNING: More internalized homophobia (sorry)

LIBBY JOHNSON WAS ABIGAIL BENSON'S COUSIN. Challan didn't know that until after the events of the sleepover from hell. Everything had been going fine, all of the girls were talking and hanging out and it was all great. And then Talia suggested that they played with a Ouija board and try to communicate with the dead.

Challan honestly wanted no part in it. She now knew that the supernatural was actually real and that spirits, demons, and the likes possibly existed too. She didn't want to mess with any of that. The other girls insisted on playing but Challan stood her ground, refusing to partake in it.

She watched from the doorway as the girls began "summoning spirits." She honestly just wanted to go home. The lights in the bedroom began to flicker and an uneasy feeling began to bubble up in her chest. A strange noise, almost a low moaning could be heard and Challan stood up straight from where she was leaning.

"What was that?" Libby asked.

"It's just the trees, Lib. Relax," Talia shook it off.

"The trees? Did that sound like trees to you, Talia?" Libby questioned.

The lights in the house turned off completely and the girls jumped. Challan walked further into the room with a frown. Something was off.

"Okay, guys. This isn't funny," she spoke.

"We're not doing anything," Jessica assured.

Challan was on edge, goosebumps beginning to raise on her skin. She rubbed her arms to provide herself with comfort. The room was completely silent and pitch black.

"Guys?" Challan asked. She received no response. She waved her hands out in front of her so that she could feel for something. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and pulled backwards.

A familiar feeling of dread filled her, her mind flashing back to that day under the tree. She fought off her attacker, being thrown to the floor of the bathroom.

Challan crawled forward but was pulled back by her ankle. "Where do you think you're going, witch?" Something about the low voice was familiar but Challan couldn't think clearly enough to try and place it. An overwhelming amount of terror shot through her body. But this time, she didn't allow it to take complete control of her. Instead, she kicked her free leg backward and toward where she hoped the person was, her fight or flight instincts kicking in. She wasn't about to go through something like this again.

She heard a grunt and shot up to her feet. She slammed into the bathroom door and twisted the doorknob but it wouldn't budge. Multiple sets of hands grabbed her and pulled her down to the ground. She screamed loudly and began swinging her arms wildly.

"Ow, what the fuck?"

Challan's fists continued to swing wildly, her heart pumping and blood rushing in her ears. Her eyes welled up with tears as she kept fighting. She thought she was fighting for her life again. Her fists connected with another face and that person yelped in surprise and pain.

Banging came from outside the bathroom door. "Hey, what's going on in there?" It was Libby's mom. Suddenly, the lights came back on and illuminated the bathroom.

Challan was breathing heavily as she was met with Libby, Talia, Jessica, and... Abigail. Jessica was rubbing her eye and wincing in pain. Abigail's cheek was already beginning to bruise from where Challan had hit her. Even so, the familiar blonde smirked and sent Challan a taunting wave. "Hey, hag. Did you miss me?"

Challan's breathing was still fast and she looked between all of the girls before looking back at her bully. "What are you doing here, Abigail? What is this?" Challan questioned.

"Did you really think that Libby wanted you at her sleepover. I told her to invite you after finding out that you two danced at the same studio," Abigail said.

"So you could what? Play another prank on me? Try and traumatize me further? When are going to grow up, Abigail?" Challan pushed herself to a standing position, wiping the tears from her eyes and mustering a glare to send the blonde's way.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, speaking to me like that?" Abigail seethed and Challan scoffed. She was tired. Absolutely done with all of this. Done with Abigail and her torment.

"Someone fed up with your bullshit."

Abigail's face contorted with rage and she sprung up to her feet. Her mouth opened and Challan held up a hand, silencing her before she could even speak. She turned to Libby and the others with a frown.

"I should've known better."

The bathroom door swung open and the girls were met with both of Libby's parents. Challan quickly walked out of the bathroom, gathering her things and informing the two adults that she had wanted to call her parents to come pick her up.

Challan's parents were pissed when Challan had told them what had transpired at the sleepover. They argued with Libby's parents who initially apologized on their daughter's behalf before beginning to defend her actions. Challan wasn't sure what repercussions they would face but she was sure her parents wouldn't let them get away with that. She heard her parents mention restraining orders, which sounded good in theory but most likely wouldn't be granted to them.

She had barely been able to sleep that night when she had gotten home. After a while of laying in bed, she allowed herself to cry and only then had she been able to fall asleep.

Max had called her the next day in the afternoon, asking her how the sleepover had gone. Challan just broke down crying on the spot.

To Max Mayfield, Challan Logan deserved the world. And after finding out what had happened at the sleepover, all Max wanted to do was fight every single person who had hurt the Logan girl. She knew that she couldn't do that so instead, she proposed the two had a real sleepover so that Challan could experience what one was really like.

Challan wasn't in the mood to have a sleepover and quite frankly never wanted to hear the word 'sleepover' again. But she agreed because she needed a pick me up and Max was always great at making her feel better.

This was how Challan found herself in Max's bedroom. After the events of the Mind Flayer, Challan had gone over to Max's house a few times. She tried to keep the time she spent there to a minimum, not wanting to run into Billy or Billy's father Neil. The few times that she had seen Billy, the older boy didn't say or do anything to her instead he glared at her with the upmost disdain.

Luckily for Challan, neither Hargrove was there so she didn't have to worry about them for the time being.

At the moment, Max was showing Challan some of her comic books. Challan thought it was cute how passionate Max was about the comics and began to tease her.

"Comic books huh? And you say the party are nerds. I think you're up there with them," Challan laughed and Max shoved her.

"Shut up," she muttered, placing her comic book in her lap. Challan grinned and took the comic book from her, flipping it open to the first page.

Max watched Challan read the comic book silently. Her blue eyes traveled over ever crevice of her face, tracing every line and trying to commit it to memory. She hoped she never forgot her face.

"Why are you staring at me?" Challan looked over at the redhead who froze, cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"I-I'm, I'm not. I wasn't," Max denied, shaking her head.

"You were," Challan replied, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Max scoffed, "I think you need to get your eyes checked."

"Yeah, okay, Max," Challan chuckled before continuing to read the comic book.

The two spent most of the night reading, listening to music, and eating pizza. Challan convinced Max to let her paint her nails and Max convinced Challan to let her braid her hair.

All in all, it was a good night for Challan and she was happy.

"Max?" Challan questioned hours later as the two laid in Max's bed trying to fall asleep.

"Yeah?" Max mumbled.

"Thank you," Challan breathed.

Max took in a breath, "For what?"

"For tonight. And for just being the best."

Max opened her eyes to look at Challan in the dark. She could see the outline of her eyes and nose but not all that well in the darkness.

"No problem." Max closed her eyes again and tried to sleep. Challan couldn't help but stare at her. Their faces were so close together that it made it harder for Challan to breathe. Her eyes traced the outline of Max's features that weren't obscured by the darkness. The redhead was probably Challan's favorite person. Max would never know how much she meant to the Logan girl.

Max opened one of her eyes and peered over at Challan. "Who's staring now?"

Challan's face went hot with embarrassment and she closed her eyes. "I wasn't staring. I was just trying to figure out if you were asleep."

"Mhm."

It was silent and Challan figured that Max was actually trying to go to sleep so she began to relax more in the bed.

"Hey, Challan?"

Challan hummed, opening her eyes. Max was already staring at her in the darkness.

"Do you ever feel like you're different?"

Challan's eyebrows knitted together, "What do you mean?"

"Like, do you ever feel things or experience things that you know are wrong and shouldn't be feeling but you do and you can't stop it?"

Challan felt her heart rate pick up. She had been feeling that way. It's as though Max could read her mind. She gulped and nodded slightly. "Yeah."

"Really?" Max inquired.

"Yes."

Max was silent as she studied Challan as best as she could in the darkness. "If I tell you something, promise me you won't hate me?"

Challan frowned at her, "I could never hate you."

"I need you to say it," Max whispered. "To promise."

"I promise I won't hate you," Challan said immediately.

Max nodded her head and sighed. "I think I have a crush on someone."

Challan felt her heart sink at the revelation but said nothing.

"It's someone that I shouldn't have a crush on because it's not... normal," Max continued. "I know it's wrong but I can't make the feelings stop," Max's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Anytime I hang out with this person, it's like the feelings grow more and more and I try so hard to make them go away but they just won't."

Challan continued to listen attentively though she didn't want to. She didn't want to hear Max talk about having feelings for someone else. Who cares? You knew she wouldn't like you romantically and it was stupid to think otherwise.

Even still, Challan had hoped.

"And now I'm staring right at the girl that I like and she's looking at me with those big brown eyes that always have a sparkle in them. And I just want to kiss her and I can't because it's not right," Max concluded.

Challan's brain was now in overdrive, repeating Max's words over and over in her head. What did she mean by that?

"You... you want to kiss me?" Challan asked unsurely. Max said nothing, squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," she quietly admitted. Max's heart thundered in her chest as she anxiously awaited Challan's response. The shorter girl said nothing, too stunned to speak and Max felt like crawling into a hole and decomposing there. She messed everything up. She shouldn't have said anything.

Challan felt like her heart was going to explode and without thinking she leaned forward. Her breath fanned across Max's lips for a brief moment before clumsily connecting their lips. Max sucked in a surprised breath but she was quick to kiss back. Their lips brushed together softly at first before Max pressed her lips to Challan's more firmly. Max's lips were warm and soft. Challan smelled like vanilla and honey again. The kiss was short and sweet and a little awkward and made Challan's entire body feel like it was on fire, but in a good way. The butterflies returned and this time she welcomed them.

Max pulled away first and the two just stared at each other as best as they could in the dark room. Neither of them knew what to say. Max's cheeks burned a dark shade of red and she was grateful for the darkness, which covered it up. Her heart was racing, her mind was hazy. She wasn't sure what to think in that moment. A nagging feeling began to knaw at Max, a feeling she couldn't shake. A feeling of regret. The redhead cleared her throat awkwardly, "Uh. Good night."

"Oh, uh, good night," Challan muttered. Max turned away from Challan so that her back was now facing her. Challan found herself frowning before she too turned around so that her back was facing Max.

What did this mean? What would happen now?

••••

Chalmax kissed finally! Also not sure if restraining orders existed in Indiana in the 80s and I honestly couldn't find a straight answer when I Googled it so let's just pretend they did.